Chapter 17 Perfection—Part Seven

Several students were paddling and using nets to chase shadows underwater. Someone shouted from the other side, “There are some here too!”

On the other side, a swarm of black shadows also darted past. Several narrow boats dragged nets and crossed, but they caught nothing. Wei WuXian said, “Strange. These shadows don’t look human. They’re sometimes long and sometimes short, sometimes big and sometimes small… Lan Zhan, next to your boat!”

Instantly, the Bichen on Lan WangJi’s back was unsheathed and stabbed into the water. A moment later, it flew out of the river with a sharp resonance, bringing with it a crescent-shaped water blade. However, it didn’t pierce anything.

He held the sword in his hand with a stern expression. Just as he was about to speak, a disciple across from him also drew his sword and thrust it towards a dark shadow swimming swiftly in the water.

However, after his sword sank underwater, it never reappeared. He chanted  the sword spell  several more times, but nothing could be retrieved from the water. It was as if his sword had been swallowed by the lake, vanishing without a trace. The disciple looked like a young man about the same age as Wei WuXian and the others. Without his sword, his face grew even paler. An older disciple beside him said, “Su She, right now, we still don’t know what’s in the water. Why did you take matters into your own hands and make your sword sink underwater?”

Su She looked a little confused, but his expression was relatively calm, “I saw Second Young Master too…”

He realized, even before he finished speaking, how inappropriate these words were. After all, neither Bichen nor Lan WangJi’s sword was comparable to the other. Lan WangJi could dip his sword into the water when his opponent was unknown and be fine, but that might not be the case for others. A blush of embarrassment crept across his pale face, as if he had been humiliated. He glanced at Lan WangJi, but Lan WangJi didn’t look at him, instead observing the water intently. In a flash, Bichen was unsheathed again.

This time, the sword’s blade didn’t stick in the water; instead, its tip jerked, sweeping a shadowy figure out of the water. A pile of wet, black stuff fell to the bottom of the boat with a plop. Wei WuXian stood on tiptoe to examine it. To his surprise, it was a piece of clothing.

Wei WuXian laughed so hard he almost fell into the river, “Lan Zhan, you’re so impressive! This is the first time I’ve seen someone take off a water ghoul’s clothes while catching one.”

Lan WangJi only examined Bichen’s tip to see if there was anything unusual, as if deciding not to talk to him. Jiang Cheng said, “You should be quiet. That creature swimming underwater isn’t actually a water ghost. It’s just a piece of clothing!”

Of course, Wei WuXian saw it clearly as well. He just couldn’t get enough of teasing Lan WangJi a few times. He said, “So, the thing that slipped in was just this piece of clothing? Well, that’s why the net couldn’t catch it and the sword couldn’t penetrate it. Its shape is always different. However, a piece of clothing couldn’t possibly swallow a sword whole. There must be something else in the water.”

By then, the boats were already sailing towards the center of Biling Lake. The lake was a deep, dark green. Suddenly, Lan WangJi raised his head slightly, “Come back soon.”

Lan XiChen asked, “Why?”

Lan WangJi replied, “The underwater creature deliberately brought the boats to the middle of Biling Lake.”

Just as he finished his words, everyone suddenly felt their boat sinking.

Water immediately began to spread into the boats. Wei WuXian suddenly realized that the color of Biling Lake was no longer dark green, but almost black. A large whirlpool had formed near the center of the lake without anyone noticing. Around ten boats were swirling in the current of the whirlpool. They sank as they spun, as if about to be sucked into a giant black mouth!

The clang of swords  being drawn  echoed through the air. One by one, everyone mounted their swords and flew upward. Wei WuXian was already floating above. He looked down, only to see that the disciple who had drawn his sword underwater, Su She, was already knee-deep in water, his boat plank already submerged in Biling Lake. Although his face was filled with panic, he didn’t call for help, probably out of fear. Without hesitation, Wei WuXian bent down and reached out, grabbing Su She’s wrist and pulling him up.

After adding another person, the sword beneath his feet suddenly dipped, but continued to rise. However, shortly after, a powerful force suddenly came from Su She, nearly pulling Wei WuXian off his sword.

Su She’s lower body was already submerged in the black whirlpool in the lake. The whirlpool spun faster and faster, and his body sank deeper and deeper. It seemed as if something was hiding beneath the water, grabbing his legs and pulling him down. Jiang Cheng, who had originally been standing on his Sandu, had calmly risen to a height of about seventy meters above the lake’s surface. Looking down, he ran towards them with an annoyed expression, “What are you guys doing now?!”

The lake’s suction force grew stronger. Wei WuXian’s sword was superior in agility, but inferior in strength. He was almost weighed down, floating just above the lake’s surface. He balanced himself while using both hands to pull Su She, and shouted, “Can someone come here to help?! If I still can’t pull him up, I’ll let him go!”

Suddenly, Wei WuXian felt his collar tighten, and he was lifted into the air. He turned around and saw Lan WangJi holding the back of his collar with one hand. Although Lan WangJi was only looking away with an indifferent gaze, he and his sword were able to support the weight of three people, and fight against the mysterious power of the lake simultaneously. Moreover, their position was still rising at a steady pace. Jiang Cheng was somewhat surprised, “  If I had gone down to pull Wei WuXian in front of him, using Sandu, I probably wouldn’t have been able to climb up so quickly and so quietly. Lan WangJi is only about the same age as me…”

At this point, Wei WuXian said, “Lan Zhan, your sword is quite powerful, isn’t it? Thank you, thank you. But why are you grabbing my collar? Can’t you hold me? I’m uncomfortable with you doing this. How about I hold out my hand for you to take?”

Lan WangJi replied in a cold voice, “I don’t have physical contact with other people.”

Wei WuXian, “We’re already familiar with each other, so how can I be someone else?”

Lan WangJi, “We don’t.”

Wei WuXian pretended to be hurt, “You can’t do this…”

Jiang Cheng couldn’t stand it any longer. He scolded, ”  You  can’t do this!!! Can’t you say a few sentences less when you’re being held in the air by your collar?!”

The group moved with their swords and evacuated Biling Lake as quickly as possible. When they landed, Lan WangJi released Wei WuXian’s collar and calmly turned to Lan XiChen, “That’s a water-filled ravine.”

Lan XiChen shook his head, “Then, this will be difficult.”

Hearing the name “water abyss,” Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng immediately understood. What was most frightening about Biling Lake wasn’t the water ghosts, but the water flowing within it.

For various reasons, such as terrain or currents, some rivers or lakes are frequently struck by ships and drowned people. Over time, the waters develop a personality. She’s like a spoiled young woman who can’t stand the lack of a luxurious lifestyle. If there aren’t any cargo ships or live people to drown in the water as sacrifices, she will cause trouble and find them herself.

The residents of Caiyi Town were all familiar with water, so shipwrecks and drowning deaths were rare. It was impossible for a waterborne abyss to have appeared here. Since it had appeared here, there was only one possibility—it had been brought in from somewhere else.

Once a waterborne sludge appears, the entire body of water turns into a monster. It’s incredibly difficult to remove, impossible to remove unless every drop of water is drained, all drowned people and objects are fished out, and the riverbed is exposed to the scorching sun for years. However, there is a method that can solve the immediate problem at the expense of others—driving it into another river or pond and leaving it to decay elsewhere.

Lan WangJi asked, “Is there any place that has recently experienced a water gap?”

Lan XiChen pointed to the sky.

He pointed at the sun. Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng looked at each other, understanding perfectly.  It was the QishanWen Sect.

In the world of cultivation, there are countless sects and clans, even more numerous than the stars in the sky. And among them, there is one behemoth that undoubtedly stands above the rest—the QishanWen Sect.

The Wen Clan uses the sun as their clan motif, signifying that they can “rival the sun in light, equal the sun in longevity.” Their sect residence is quite large, almost equivalent to a city. It is called the Nightless Sky, also called the Nightless Heavenly City, because it is said that there is no night in the city. It can be described as a giant because, regardless of the number of disciples, power, land, or magic tools, no other family can match it. Many cultivators consider becoming an external disciple of the Wen Sect to be the highest honor. Based on the Wen Sect’s style, it is highly likely that the water abyss in Caiyi City was chased here by them.

Even though they knew where the abyss of water came from, everyone was silent.

If it were done by the Wen Sect, no matter how harshly they accused or criticized them, there would be no results. Firstly, the sect wouldn’t admit it, and secondly, there would be no compensation either.

A disciple complained, “Caiyi City will be completely destroyed because the sect is pursuing the water ravine. If the water ravine grows and reaches the river in the city, everyone’s lives will be at the mercy of that monster. This is truly…”

If they were to take responsibility for the troubles thrust upon them by others, the GusuLan Sect would surely face a great deal of trouble. Lan XiChen sighed, “Just put it down. Just put it down. Let’s return to the city.”

They boarded a new boat at the crossing point and rowed towards the town area where many people had gathered.

After crossing the arched bridge and entering the river path, Wei WuXian started to do it again.

Leaving his oars, he put one foot on the side of the boat and stared at his reflection in the water, checking to see if his hair was messy. As if he hadn’t just caught tons of water ghosts and escaped the mouth of a water-washed abyss, Wei WuXian confidently winked at both sides of the road, ”  Brothers  , how much for half a kilogram of loquats?”

He was young and handsome. His spirits were high, like the sight of  peach blossoms carelessly following the river’s current  . A woman lifted  her bamboo hat  and smiled with her head held high. “Honey, you don’t have to pay. How about I give you one for free?”

The Wu dialect   was soft, sounding refreshing and sweet. The speaker’s lips moved melodiously, and the listener’s ears would be filled with a fragrant aroma. Wei WuXian clasped his hands together, “If it’s a gift from Big Brother, I definitely want it!”

The woman reached into the basket and tossed him a round, golden loquat. “Don’t be shy. This is to see how handsome you are!”

The boats were moving at high speed. When the two boats met, they immediately passed each other. Wei WuXian turned around, caught her perfectly, and grinned, “Big Sis looks even prettier!”

While showing off and flirting at the side, Lan WangJi stared straight ahead, looking very refined. Wei WuXian arrogantly threw the toquat in his hand, then suddenly pointed at him, “Brothers, do you think he’s handsome?”

Lan WangJi didn’t expect Wei WuXian to suddenly bring him up. Just as he was at a loss for a response, the women in the river all exclaimed in unison, “Even more handsome!” Amidst their laughter, several men could be heard.

Wei WuXian said, “Then, is anyone willing to give him one? If you only give one to me and not to him, I’m afraid he’ll be jealous when we get back!”

Joyful laughter echoed across the river. Another woman came up from in front of them, standing on her boat. “Okay, okay, you got two. Watch out, young man, catch them!”

After the second one also landed in his hands, Wei WuXian shouted, “Big Sister, you’re not only beautiful, but also kind. Next time I come here, I’ll buy a whole basket!”

The woman’s voice sounded excited, and she was braver than the others. She pointed at Lan WangJi, “Have him come too. You can all come here and capture them!”

Wei WuXian held the loquat in front of Lan WangJi’s eyes. Lan WangJi didn’t look away, “Move.”

So, Wei WuXian put it away, “I knew you wouldn’t accept it, so I never intended to give it to you. Jiang Cheng, catch it!”

Just then, Jiang Cheng’s boat passed by. He caught the loquat with one hand, a faint smile on his face, but then he snorted, “Are you flirting again?”

Wei WuXian grinned, proud of his success, “Get lost!” Then, he turned around and asked, “Lan Zhan, you’re from Gusu, so you know how to speak this dialect, right? Teach me. How do you curse in Gusu dialect?”

Lan WangJi threw a “pitiful” at him, then climbed onto another boat. Wei WuXian hadn’t expected him to answer so earnestly. He had only wanted to tease him, having heard the gentle yet playful Gusu dialect and thought that Lan WangJi must have spoken this dialect when he was young. After lifting his head to take another sip of rice wine, he carried the plump, jet-black flagon in one hand, grabbed an oar, and charged towards Jiang Cheng.

On the other side, Lan WangJi stood side by side with Lan XiChen. This time, even their expressions were identical. Both of them seemed preoccupied with problems, pondering things like how to deal with the water-logged ravine and what to say to the mayor of Caiyi Town.

A very heavy boat approached from ahead of them, filled with buckets of large, golden loquats. Lan WangJi glanced at it briefly, then continued staring straight ahead.

However, Lan XiChen said to him, “If you want to eat loquats, should we buy a basket?”

“…”

Lan WangJi left with a flick of his sleeve, “No!”

He went to stand on another boat.

Translator’s Notes

Sword spell  : This is what a person says to command or summon their sword.

Sister  : In China, it is an act of respect to call someone older as Sister or Brother, and to call someone younger than you as Little Sister or Little Brother.

The frivolous peach blossom chases the stream  : Again, this phrase comes from a poem by the famous poet Du Fu. This scene of peach blossoms and the stream implies that Wei WuXian is the “frivolous peach blossom” in this case, and flirts with the women in the stream without any regard for his behavior.

Bamboo hats  : Because Caiyi City is a “water town,” many residents wear conical bamboo hats, similar to the traditional Vietnamese hats. These hats are also called cone hats or rice hats.

Wu dialect  : This is one of the many dialects of Mandarin.

Translator and editor’s notes:

*** The next chapter will be 9,000 Chinese characters, which is about 7,000-8,000 English words. Most chapters so far have been 2,900-5,000 characters, so don’t be surprised if the translation process takes longer than usual. The next chapter will likely be out in at least five days due to its length.